PUBLIC NOTICE Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC)

Wastewater Discharge Authorization Program/401 Certification

555 Cordova Street, Anchorage AK 99501-2617

Phone: 907-269-6285|Email: DEC-401Cert@alaska.gov

Notice of Application for State Water Quality Certification

Public Notice (PN) Date: May 19, 2021 PN Reference Number: POA-2020-00530 PN Expiration Date: June 18, 2021 Waterway: Chena River

Any applicant for a federal license or permit to conduct an activity that might result in a discharge into

navigable waters, in accordance with Section 401 of the Clean Water Act (CWA) of 1977 (PL95-217), also

must apply for and obtain certification from the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation that

the discharge will comply with the CWA, the Alaska Water Quality Standards, and other applicable State

laws.

Notice is hereby given that a request for a CWA §401 Water Quality Certification of a Department of the

Army Permit application, Corps of Engineers’ Reference Number POA-2020-00530, Chena River, has

been received for the discharge of dredged and/or fill materials into waters of the United States (WOUS),

including wetlands, as described below and shown on the enclosed project figures/drawings. The public

notice and related project figures/drawings are also accessible from the DEC website at

http://dec.alaska.gov/water/wastewater/.

Any person desiring to comment on the project with respect to water quality, may submit comments

electronically via the DEC public notice site (preferred method) at https://water.alaskadec.commentinput.com/?id=TG5Ni

Alternatively, you may direct written comments or requests for a public hearing via email or mail to the

address or email listed above by the Public Notice expiration date. All comments submitted via mail or

email should include the PN reference number listed above in the subject heading. Mailed comments

must be postmarked on or before the expiration date of the public notice.

Applicant: Fort Wainwright Directorate of Public Works, Robert Larimore, Environmental Chief, 1046

Marks Road, Fort Wainwright, Alaska 99703, (907) 361-4213, Robert.k.larimore.civ@mail.mil; Agent: Dan

Rees, Fort Wainwright Directorate of Public Works Natural Resource Manager, (907) 361-9318,

Daniel.c.rees.civ@mail.mil

Project Name: South Fork Chena River Trail Upgrades

Location: The proposed activity is located within Section 11-12, T. 2 S., R. 6 E.; Latitude 64.755719° N.,

Longitude -146.473071° W.; in Fort Wainwright, Alaska.

Purpose: The applicant’s stated purpose is to provide access to the northeastern portion of the Yukon

Training Area for military training exercises and wildlife suppression and control activities.

Project Description: The applicant proposes placement of approximately 118,654 cubic yards (CY) of

material into 11.0 acres of WOUS, including wetlands, to upgrade an existing 3 mile long trail north of

Stuart Creek Impact Area in the Yukon Training Area. The trail will be 18 feet wide at the top and 76.9

feet average width at the base with a 2:1 side slope. In areas with steep grade, the height of the trail will

be built up to maintain a minimum slope of 11%.

A maximum of 77,000 CY of gravel will be extracted from the valley bottom, just north of the trail

corridor and 300 feet west of the river. The extracted gravel will be used for trail construction. Gravel

will be extracted with an excavator to a maximum depth of 12 feet. Maximum wetland impacts from the

gravel extraction site will be 3.1 acres. Additional active upland extraction sites will also be used as a

material source for the trail.

A full span bridge will be constructed across the South Fork Chena River with concrete abutments placed

in uplands outside of the 2 year floodplain. A hundred foot forested riparian buffer will be maintained to

the maximum extent practicable. Two small staging areas will be constructed in uplands on either side of

the river outside of the riparian buffer and left in place after completion of the trail upgrades for use as

parking areas.

Trail construction and gravel extraction is scheduled to begin October 1, 2021 and will be executed in

phases as funding becomes available. Anticipated project completion is September 30, 2026.

After reviewing the application, the Department may certify there is reasonable assurance the activity,

and any discharge that might result, will comply with the CWA, the Alaska Water Quality Standards, and

other applicable State laws. The Department also may deny or waive certification.

The permit application and associated documents are available for review. For inquires or to request

copies of the documents, contact dec-401cert@alaska.gov, or call 907-269-6285.

Disability Reasonable Accommodation Notice

The State of Alaska, Department of Environmental Conservation complies with Title II of the Americans

with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990. If you are a person with a disability who may need special

accommodation in order to participate in this public process, please contact ADA Coordinator Brian

Blessington at 907-269-6272 or TDD Relay Service 1-800-770-8973/TTY or dial 711 within 5 days of the

expiration date of this public notice to ensure that any necessary accommodations can be provided.

475000 500000 525000

7150

000

7150

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7175

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7200

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7200

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Yukon Training Area

YTA South ForkChena Trail Upgrade

Map Features

YUKO N T RAI N ING AREA Installation

Boundary

Data Source: USGS EROS

Open Woodland

Waterbody

Forest

UTM Zone 6N WGS84 - Meters

Grid Scale:25,000 Meters

DPW EnvironmentalUSAG AlaskaDPW Bldg 3023

0 4 82Miles

Eielson AirForce Base

¯Scale 1:400,000Lat: 64.755719Long: -146.473071Last Updated: 12/15/2020

Trail Upgrade

Richardson Highway

Chena River

Scrub

Fairbanks

Project: South Fork Chena Trail Upgrade Applicant: US Army Fort WainwrightFile No.: POA-2020-00530 Proposed Activity: Trail upgradesVicinity ViewMap Sheet 1 of 2

North Beaver Creek Road

Transm

itter

Road

Tanana River

South Fork Chena River

475000 500000 525000

Beaver CreekRoad

___

_

524000

524000

525000

525000

526000

526000

527000

527000

7180

000

7180

000

7181

000

7181

000

7182

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7182

000

Plan ViewS. Fork Chena Trail -Yukon Training Area

Map FeaturesData Source:Yukon_Command_Traning_Area.sid

DPW EnvironmentalUSAG AlaskaDPW Bldg 3023

_

_

_

Yukon Training Area

UTM Zone 6NWGS84 - MetersGrid Scale:1,000 Meters

Scale 1:18,500

0 0.2 0.40.1Miles

¯

Stuart Creek Impact Area

_24" CulvertLocationsClear SpanBridgeClass 3 Non-ErodibleAggregateMaterial Site

Staging Area

ProposedCorridorMapped AreaImpactArea

Clear span bridge

Flow Direction

Staging areasMaterial Site

0 0.1 0.20.05

Miles Scale 1:6,000

Trail Upgrade ImpactsWetland Fill: 7.9 acres Top width: 18 ftAverage width at base: 76.9 ftSide slopes: 2:1Volume of fill in wetlands: 118,654 cubic yards

Material Site Impacts Extraction area: 3.1 acres Extraction depth: 12 ft maximum

Total Wetland Impacts: 11 acresProject: South Fork Chena Trail Upgrade Applicant: US Army Fort WainwrightFile No.: POA-2020-00530 Proposed Activity: Trail UpgradesPlan ViewMap Sheet 2 of 2

Palustrine BroadleafDeciduous Forest

Water

Palustrine BroadleafDeciduous/EvergreenScrub-ShrubPalustrine EmergentPersistentUpland

Palustrine NeedleleafEvergreen Scrub-

OWNER:

SHEET INDEX

COVER SHEET

PLAN AND PROFILES

SECTIONS

VOLUMES

1' AND 5' COUTOUR LINES

1

2-17

18-25

25

S. FORK CHENA

LAND REHABILITATION & MAINTENANCE:

SOUTH FORK CHENA RIVER

PRELIMINARY SCOPING FOR

CORPS PERMITTING

PLAN SET BORROW PIT

BRIDGE

FILL TO WETLAND

118,658.1CUBIC YARDS

AVERAGE

WIDTH

REVISIONS: 18' TOP SURFACE

CORRIDOR

76. 9 FEET

PROJECT:

SALCHA-DEL TA SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATIN DISTRICT IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR SAFETY PROGRAMS, METHODS OR PROCEDURES OF OPERATION, USED FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE DESIGN SHOWN ON THESE DRAWINGS. WHERE SPECIFICATIONS ARE GENERAL OR NOT CALLED OUT, THE SPECIFICATIONS SHALL CONFORM TO STANDARDS OF INDUSTRY. DRAWINGS ARE FOR USE ON THIS PROJECT ONLY AND ARE NOT INTENDED FOR REUSE.

! PRELIMINARY NOT FOR CONSTRUCTION ! TITLE:

SOU'l'II l�Olll{ CIIENA llIVEll

CO\rEll SIIEE'I'

DESIGNED BY: EKM PROJECT NO: SHEET NO:

DRAWN BY: EKM DATE: December 11, 2020

REV DATE DESCRIPTION CHECKED BY: XX SCALE: AS NOTED OF 25

Project: South Fork Chena Trail UpgradeApplicant: US Army Fort Wainwright File No.: POA-2020-00530

Proposed Activity: Trail UpgradesPlan & Cross Section Views

Map Sheet 3 of 3